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Marriott is gifting status qualifying nights to current elite members regardless of how status was earned. They are generous with easy elite nights from credit cards. And they’re running a double elite nights promo. That makes earning elite status through March 2023 really easy for people who already have elite status in the Bonvoy program.
These nights will post to accounts in February:
| 2020 ELITE STATUS | NORMAL REQUIREMENTS | 50% ELITE NIGHT CREDITS DEPOSIT |
| Ambassador | 100 Qualifying Nights and $20k stay spend | 50 Elite Nights |
| Titanium | 75 Qualifying Nights | 38 Elite Nights |
| Platinum | 50 Qualifying Nights | 25 Elite Nights |
| Gold | 25 Qualifying Nights | 13 Elite Nights |
| Silver | 10 Qualifying Nights | 5 Elite Nights |
| Member | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
You get these nights even if you just have Gold elite status as a Platinum Card® from American Express cardmember, or you earned Platinum status via spend on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(TM) American Express® Card, and these nights don’t just count towards earning status in 2021 they also count towards lifetime elite status.
Moreover Marriott no longer caps you at 15 elite nights from a single co-brand credit card. You can earn both 15 nights each year with a personal co-brand card and 15 from a small business co-brand.
- I have the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(TM) American Express® Card which gives me 15 nights per year, although you get those same 15 from the main consumer Marriott Bonvoy BoundlessTM Credit Card and from the no annual fee Marriott Bonvoy BoldTM Credit Card.
- I also have the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card and receive 15 elite nights each year from that.
So let’s take a couple of examples. First, an existing Platinum.
- A Platinum member receives 25 elite nights.
- And assume they have both a personal and small business card.
- That’s 55 elite nights. They do not need to stay at all in order to re-qualify. Earned status in 2019 lasts through March 2023.
Now let’s look at a Titanium (75 night elite status),
- They receive 38 elite nights
- And assume they have both a personal and small business card.
- That’s 68 elite nights. After 50 nights they get a benefit choice, and can select 5 qualifying nights assuming that is offered again. They have 73 elite nights.
From February 16, 2021 through April 27, 2021, Marriott will award double points and double elite nights on stays of 2 nights or more. If this were a straight double nights promo then they’d need just 1 night, but unfortunately the 2 night minimum applies. So it’s 2 elite nights to requalify.
Meanwhile an Ambassador can reach the required threshold to re-earn status with just 5 nights in hotels:
- 50 nights gifted to them
- 30 nights from credit cards
- 10 nights during the double nights promo period (as long as stays are 2 nights are longer)
However they still must meet minimum spend to earn Ambassador status (which is reduced from $20,000 to $14,000 for 2021).
2 night’s for a Titanium to re-up, but if you assume they have both biz and personal cards, that’s 2 certs right there (except Bold). So someone in that position gets Titanium again for sunk costs.
Only idiots would willingly direct $14K to Marriott this year for a neutered Ambassador status
I qualified for platinum status via stays in November 2020. I have both business and personal cards which have already deposited 30 elite nights into my account. When can I expect the 25 platinum nights to hit?
Currently gold with 30 elite nights – will be gifted 13 in Feb – Would like to make Platinum ASAP – A few questions – with the new promo I read that in order. For 2x elite nights at least 1 night must be paid – so is it worth booking 3 nights at local hotel for 8k each and paying $89 for 4th night to obtain status? I also have 2 35k certs but kind of a waste on an $89/8k hotel – thoughts??? And how long after stay are you upgraded to platinum/get suite awards?
So Ambassador just needs 5 nights in a $3,000/night hotel room. Sounds like a nice long weekend.
Does event/conference spend count?
So, Marriott is loosening elite requirements. Gary, do you think they will allow members to have both an Amex and a Chase cards? I think all the tightening of benefits after the merger is coming back to bite them.
@Rob, the 25 nights will be posted in February per Marriott’s marketing info.
So someone who got the Amex Bonvoy Brilliant in Q4 2020 with the Platinum in 2021 promo starts out with 28 nights towards ACTUAL full Platinum with SNAs in 2022. Interesting.
I’m glad I did my 6 years of consulting to get what is now lifetime titanium. I don’t need to worry about this ever again (until they chop the lifetime benefits).